Twisha Sharma Case: What Happened, Who Is Accused, and Where It Stands Now
A former model found dead within five months of marriage — and a case that has shaken Madhya Pradesh's legal establishment.
Compiled from live news data by NewzAI · May 23, 2026
Five Months of Marriage, Then Found Dead
On the evening of May 12, 2026, Twisha Sharma — a 33-year-old former model and actor — was found hanging at her marital home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area. She had been married for barely five months. What followed has become one of India's most closely watched alleged dowry death cases of 2026: a husband who absconded for 10 days, a retired-judge mother-in-law accused of influencing the probe, 46 contested phone calls, CCTV footage with disputed timestamps, and a Supreme Court-level legal battle over who gets to investigate.
As of May 23, Twisha's husband Samarth Singh is in police custody. The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ordered a second autopsy by AIIMS Delhi. The state government has recommended a CBI takeover. And new salon CCTV has emerged showing Twisha relaxed and at ease just hours before her death — raising fresh questions about what happened in the hours that followed. Read on NewzAI →
Image credit: News18
Who Was Twisha Sharma?
Twisha Sharma was a 33-year-old former model and actor who met Samarth Singh through a dating app in 2024. Samarth is a lawyer by profession — and the son of Giribala Singh, a retired judge. The couple married in December 2025.
Friends who knew her well say the change was visible within months. "She remained very quiet. After two to three months of marriage, she was under immense pressure from her in-laws," friends Navratan, Prerna, and Purshottam told NDTV. WhatsApp messages between Twisha and her mother, Rekha Sharma, allegedly showed that she felt "trapped" in the marriage. Her family says her health deteriorated markedly after she moved to Bhopal. Read on NewzAI →
The Full Case Timeline
From their first meeting to Samarth's arrest, here is every major development in chronological order.
📅 Case Timeline
The Evidence Under Scrutiny
Three pieces of evidence sit at the centre of the dispute — and all three are contested.
The CCTV footage from the marital home shows Twisha walking toward the terrace, followed nearly an hour later by family members bringing her downstairs and attempting CPR. That gap has become a focal point for investigators. Giribala Singh informed court that eight CCTV cameras at the residence had a timestamp discrepancy of "two days, two hours and 20 minutes" due to improper maintenance — a claim Twisha's family disputes, arguing the timing errors were introduced deliberately. Read on NewzAI →
The 46 calls made by Giribala Singh to judges, IAS and IPS officers, doctors, advocates, and CCTV technicians between May 12 and May 14 have drawn significant scrutiny. The family says calls to CCTV technicians — placed immediately after the death, when electronic evidence was most critical — are particularly troubling. Giribala denied influencing anyone, telling reporters: "People were calling only to offer condolences. Whatever is being shown in the media is wrong." She said she contacted CCTV operators to understand "what exactly happened" inside the house.
The first post-mortem, conducted at AIIMS Bhopal, cited hanging as the cause of death. Twisha's family alleged lapses in the examination, pointing to injury marks they say were not adequately explained. The Madhya Pradesh High Court agreed sufficient questions existed and granted permission for a second autopsy — to be conducted by specialists from AIIMS Delhi. Read on NewzAI →
Image credit: News18
What Friends and Family Say
Multiple friends of Twisha have come forward with accounts of what her marriage looked like from the outside. Friends Navratan, Prerna, and Purshottam alleged Samarth routinely humiliated her in social settings. "He used to say she does not know anything, what has she studied, she does not know anything, nor does she do anything. He always humiliated her during gatherings with friends," they told NDTV. They said he called her "gawar" — a derogatory term for someone uneducated or uncultured.
Friends also alleged that after Twisha underwent an abortion following an unplanned pregnancy, her in-laws repeatedly questioned her about it. According to a close friend, Prachi, Twisha maintained two phones — one for work and one personal. After Twisha's death, her in-laws allegedly tried to prevent her family from accessing the personal device. Read on NewzAI →
Twisha's brother, Major Harshit Sharma, said it was "unfathomable" how anyone could be so cruel, referring to remarks Giribala Singh had made about his sister in public statements. The National Commission for Women took suo motu cognisance of the case, with NCW Chairperson Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar criticising what she called the "character assassination" of Twisha Sharma.
Samarth Singh's lawyer, Mrigendra Singh, presented a starkly different account. He told NDTV his client was "broken after his wife's death" and described the day's events as entirely ordinary: a salon visit, a walk, dinner, and then Twisha going upstairs saying she needed space. He maintained Samarth was not hiding — only exercising his legal right to seek anticipatory bail before surrendering.
The Legal Reckoning
The charges against Samarth Singh and Giribala Singh include dowry death, cruelty, and common intention under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Dowry Prohibition Act — both serious, non-bailable offences.
Samarth remained absconding for 10 days after Twisha's death, prompting police to issue a Look Out Circular and announce a cash reward of Rs 30,000 for information leading to his arrest. The Bar Council of India took the unusual step of suspending him from legal practice with immediate effect during the pendency of the case. On May 22, after withdrawing his anticipatory bail application, he surrendered at a court in Jabalpur and was taken into custody by Bhopal Police. Read on NewzAI →
Giribala Singh, the retired judge, obtained anticipatory bail from a sessions court and has not been taken into custody. The MP government's recommendation for a CBI probe — granting consent under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act — represents a significant escalation. Twisha's uncle, Lokesh Sharma, welcomed the move as "a step towards justice," while adding it should have come sooner. Read on NewzAI →
What to Watch Next
Several threads remain open and will determine whether the case produces accountability:
- The second autopsy by AIIMS Delhi has been court-ordered and is expected imminently. Its findings on whether the injuries are consistent with hanging — or indicate something else — will be decisive.
- CBI takeover: The agency must formally accept the probe and take over case files from the SIT. The speed of this transition will test whether the state's recommendation was substantive or symbolic.
- Giribala Singh's status: The retired judge remains on anticipatory bail. Whether the CBI seeks her custody — and whether courts grant it — will be a key indicator of how far the probe reaches.
- The 46 call records: Investigators will need to determine what was discussed in those calls and whether any constituted obstruction of justice.
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Husband in custody, CCTV questions and second autopsy — key points →
New beauty parlour CCTV footage raises questions →
Friends say Samarth called Twisha "gawar", humiliated her publicly →